Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-09-16
BURLINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
A Paper on the Universalist society ofthis
City by Elihu Is. Taft, Esq.

City by Elihu u. Taft Esq.
The Darlington Historical society held
its regular monthly meeting last evening
with good attendance. The meeting
was called to order by Prof. II. c. O'Sul-
Ivan, who presided. The names of w. II.
). Whitcomb end Rev, Edward Hunger
ford were presented for membership, and
will be acted upon at the eXt meeting in
accordance with the rules of the society
Elihu Is. Taft, Esq, read an interest
ing paper before the society, the subject
of which was "The Society of Universal
lists in Burlington" aud the information
contained in it was n matter of some sur
prise to most of those present as undOubt-
eddy it will he to most If not all of our
readers. Following is Il brief extract
The first meeting OF the society was held
at the hotel of John F. Howard, Deem
Der IS, 1880. Ephrain Randall was elect
ed president aud Lansing Barnard clerk,
John b. iIollenbeck, Lansing Barnard,
John Herrlck, Enos Walker aud VIII
liam EVeretts were chosen committee ID
draft n constitution. committee
was also appointed to hire of the select
men the Town Room" IN the court
house, which consisted of the basement of
oi the present Fletcher Library building
for the accommodation of the society.
mong the 10 subscribers to the constitu-
ton adopted are found the names of many
leading men of that time and subsequent
~ in town affairs The first annual meet
ing Of the society was held February
4, 1e3l, and the following oilic rs
Were elected: Chairman, John Is.
| Hollenbeck: clerk, Lansing Barnard ;
treasurer, Ephraiu Randall; collector,
| GEORGE Witherell; and prudential com
mittee Of six consisting OF John Van Sick
| len, jr., William Everetts John Herrick,
| Hymdn Lane, Hiram ColOney and EnoS
BIN. In 1884 the society seemed to have
new lease of lite and new constitution
was adopted. Prominent among The
members of that year was found the
name of Rev. John Gregory, who died III
| Mortified a few years since. a record OF
the annual meeting i'll 1888 appears on the
! books.
Then the society must have taken a long
sleep of about 10 years, for the next meet
ing was held March g. 1916, at which an
other constitution and bylaws were
adopted. AT Il meeting held January | |
1917, it was resolved that the Rev. john
Gregory be requested to preach one half Of
the time during the year, which was the
first record of a settled pastor I'm Sen
TENDER following lit was decided to grant
Bro Gregory's request to discontinue his
labor for The society,"" At Il meeting helo
Dec. |, 1877, Leonard Johonnott rs trus-
tee was authorized to mortgage The
land belonging TO the society for 500 to be-
used la payment oil debts against the so
ciety. This is the first record found ol
the fact that the society owned any rea
estate. 1t seems that the mort gage WA,
never executed, for on July IA, 1913, thu
clerk called meeting to see whether the
society would take measures to finish thu
building commenced for a church or Sc.
all the property belonging to the societl
for the payment of its debts. This is the
first and all found in the records in re
gard to church building. On Septem
Der 30, lS4S, the trustees of the society
Tristan Conner, Thomas J. Blanchard
Amasa Crooker and Leonard Johonn0tt
were authorized to sell all the real AM
personal property belonging to the society
Thus it Is found that the Universalst
had an organized existence covering
period of IS years, 1S3O-lS4S. They ha
more or less preaching during that tim
but irregularly. The facts are that Their
seemed to be sufficient number of PEG
pie ready and willing to start and supper
u society, but the project failed for wall
of a proper leader and thus died the onl
society of Universalets ever organized i
Burlington. Those Universalists who hay
since come to Burlington having alway
attended the Unitarian church, an
among its leading members to-day are I
be found many Univ ersa!ists.